Moving to Costa Rica from Rwanda

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Rwanda to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Rwanda to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Get free moving quotes to Costa Rica

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Rwanda to Costa Rica.

Living there in 2020
1

people born in Rwanda live in Costa Rica · UN DESA

Who's moving to Costa Rica?

Top countries of origin for Costa Rica's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Rwanda.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

RW
3.6
CR
17.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RW
11.6
CR
15.5

Rwanda performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RW
$177
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RW
0.9
CR
26.9

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RW
62.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RW
0.2t
CR
1.6t

Rwanda generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RW
0.6
CR
23.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RW
20.2%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
11.4%
CR
6.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$1,124
CR
$19,970

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Rwanda across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

RW
68.0 yrs
CR
81.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RW
29.4
CR
9.1

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Rwanda across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Rwanda Revenue Authority (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

San Jose Rain: 73.5 in/yr (1866 mm)
77° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali San Jose
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Kigali San Jose
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Rwanda and Costa Rica. To live, work, or study long-term in Costa Rica, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Costa Rica's immigration authority.

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa on Arrival
Costa Rica passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Rwanda.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?

Connectivity is usually fine (Costa Rica: 23.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Costa Rica offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Rwanda performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Rwanda.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Rwanda?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 0.9 in Rwanda. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).

What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Rwanda?

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.

Share this

At a Glance

RW CR
Population 14,569,341 5,152,950
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +250 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911